Giant, chocolatey Gluten Free Levain Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are every chocolate lover’s dream. These oversized gluten-free double chocolate cookies have a fudgy, gooey center and crispy edges, finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for balance. The texture is almost brownie-like, making them an indulgent treat for anyone craving intense chocolate.
This recipe is inspired by the famous Levain Bakery in New York City, known for its oversized cookies. The bakery’s cookies are pricey and not safe for those who need a gluten-free diet, so this version recreates the signature size and texture while remaining gluten free.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten-free flour: Use a reliable gluten-free all-purpose blend. Blends that include xanthan gum are convenient; if your blend does not contain xanthan gum, add 2 teaspoons to the dry ingredients. High-quality, fine-ground blends produce a tender, non-grainy crumb.
Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch helps keep these cookies soft and tender while contributing to a chewy texture.
Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed (alkalized) cocoa delivers a darker color and richer, fudgier flavor than natural cocoa and is recommended for best results. If you use natural cocoa, expect slightly lighter color and possibly a drier finish.
Sugars: Use finely granulated white sugar and light brown sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper flavor because of its molasses content. Coarse sugars can give the finished cookie a grainy texture.
Chocolate: A mix of dark chocolate chunks or chips, smaller semi-sweet chips, and chopped dark chocolate bars creates varied pockets of melted chocolate and texture. You can substitute with milk or white chocolate if you prefer; more chocolate is always welcome.
Peanut butter chips (optional): These add a classic chocolate-and-peanut-butter contrast. If you don’t want peanut butter, replace the same quantity with additional dark chocolate chips.
How to make the dough
For these Levain-style cookies, keep the butter and eggs cold. The method is a “streusel technique”: cold butter is cut into sugar and then combined with dry ingredients before adding the eggs. This yields a tender, sturdy structure with a characteristic crumb.
Step 1: In a bowl, sift (or whisk) together 400 g gluten-free multipurpose flour, 70 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 25 g cornstarch, 2.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Cut 226 g cold unsalted butter into small pieces and place them in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat just until the butter loses its shape—about 15–30 seconds. The goal is to break the butter into small pieces, not to cream it.
Step 3: With the mixer on low, add 200 g light brown sugar and 100 g granulated white sugar. Mix until the butter pieces are coated with sugar and resemble coarse crumbs.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until the mixture resembles a streusel or crumble.
Step 5: Stir in 275 g high-quality dark chocolate chips or chunks and 75 g peanut butter chips (if using) on low speed, just to distribute.
Step 6: In a small bowl whisk together 2 whole cold eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add the egg mixture to the streusel and mix until the dry pieces disappear and a cohesive dough forms. The dough may look slightly rough compared to traditional cookie dough; that’s normal.
Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment. Portion the dough into 6-ounce (about 170 g) portions using your hands and a kitchen scale. Form each portion into a compact hockey-puck shape approximately 1–1.5 inches tall. Wrap the tray with plastic or cover it and refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours for best flavor and texture.
How to bake
After chilling, the dough is ready to bake. Resting the dough improves flavor and texture.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and position the rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Place no more than four dough pucks on the prepared sheet and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes, then rotate the tray and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). If the cookies haven’t spread at the 10-minute mark, gently tap the pan on the counter to encourage spread. Bake an additional 7–9 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are crisp, they look puffy, and the centers still appear slightly underbaked—this preserves the gooey interior.
Optionally press extra chocolate chips or peanut butter chips onto the tops immediately after removing from the oven.
Step 3: Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. They are at their best freshly baked but remain delicious for days.
Storage & Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To refresh day-old cookies, warm briefly in a toaster oven to regain gooey quality.
Cookies freeze well: once completely cool, place them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. To freeze dough, arrange portions on a sheet pan, freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake from frozen by preheating to 375°F, baking for 13 minutes, lowering the temperature to 350°F, and finishing for an additional 7–11 minutes.
Pro tip: Allow frozen dough to rest at room temperature for a few minutes before baking if you prefer slightly faster spread.
Why do my gluten-free cookies taste grainy?
Graininess usually comes from the flour blend or insufficient hydration. Use a fine-ground, high-quality gluten-free flour blend and allow the dough to chill to hydrate the flours. Stone-ground brown rice flours and coarse blends can create a gritty mouthfeel, so choose blends designed for baking.
How do you fix dry gluten-free cookies?
Dry cookies often result from ingredient swaps, measuring errors, or using natural cocoa instead of Dutch-processed cocoa. Sugar and brown sugar contribute moisture; reducing sugar or changing egg quantities alters structure. Follow the recipe measurements and use Dutch-processed cocoa for a richer, moister crumb.
FAQ
What is Dutch-processed cocoa powder?
Dutch-processed cocoa is treated with an alkali to neutralize acidity, producing a darker, less bitter cocoa with a smoother, more “fudgy” flavor in baked goods. Natural cocoa is more acidic and can yield a lighter, potentially drier cookie.
Can I make this recipe with regular all-purpose flour?
Yes. For a non-gluten-free version, substitute 375 grams of regular all-purpose flour for the gluten-free flour called for in the recipe.
What are Levain cookies?
Levain-style cookies are oversized, thick cookies with crisp edges and an underbaked, gooey center—often compared to a scone in size and shape but with cookie texture.
Can I make the cookies smaller?
Yes, but smaller cookies will be less fudgy and may lose the signature Levain look. Avoid making portions smaller than about 3 ounces if you want to retain a dense, gooey interior. Adjust baking times accordingly: roughly 10 minutes at 375°F, then 5–7 minutes at 350°F, depending on your oven.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Levain Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Decadent oversized gluten-free double chocolate chip cookies with crispy edges and a gooey center. Finished with flaky sea salt for contrast.
30 minutes
20 minutes
4 hours
4 hours 50 minutes
Ingredients
Gluten Free Levain Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 400 grams gluten-free multipurpose flour
- 70 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 25 grams cornstarch
- 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 226 grams unsalted butter, cold
- 200 grams light brown sugar
- 100 grams granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, cold
- 1 egg yolk, cold
- 275 grams high-quality dark chocolate (chips or chunks)
- 75 grams peanut butter chips (optional)
For finishing
- Additional chocolate chips, as desired
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
Make the dough
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Add cold, diced butter to a mixer bowl and beat briefly until butter pieces lose their shape but remain in small chunks.
- With the mixer on low, add both sugars and mix until the butter pieces are coated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the dry ingredient mixture and mix until it resembles a streusel or crumble.
- Fold in chocolate chips and peanut butter chips on low speed.
- Whisk together eggs, yolk, and vanilla, then add to the mixer on low and combine until a rough dough forms.
- Portion dough into 6-ounce pieces, form into 1–1.5 inch tall pucks, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F and position the rack in the middle.
- Place up to four dough pucks on a parchment-lined tray and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Rotate the tray and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake an additional 7–9 minutes until edges are crisp but centers are slightly underdone.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For frozen dough, bake from frozen and add a few minutes to the initial baking time.
Notes
Peanut butter chips: Replace with extra chocolate chips if you prefer no peanut flavor.
Baking from frozen dough: Preheat to 375°F, bake frozen dough for about 13 minutes, lower temperature to 350°F, then finish for 7–11 minutes.
